New Senate bill proposes tolls for all coastal ferries

By By CHARLIE HALL - New Bern Sun Journal

Published: Monday, April 8, 2013 at 01:16 PM.

Last week, identical companion bills were introduced in the House and Senate, calling for no tolls on any of the seven routes. The Senate version — SB 524 — was sponsored by coastal lawmakers Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, and Bill Cook, R-Beaufort.

An earlier House bill by Rep. Michael Speciale, R-Craven, sought to abolish the proposed new tolls on the ferries across the
Neuse
and Pamlico rivers.

Rabon, a veterinarian whose district includes
Brunswick
, Bladen, New Hanover and Pender counties, lives in
Southport
.

The House bill 475 introduced last week calling for no tolls included
Southport
area Rep. Frank Iler as one of its sponsors.

The bill is three paragraphs and states “The Board of Transportation shall establish tolls for all ferry routes.”

Attempts to reach the sponsoring senators by telephone and email were unsuccessful.

The ferry toll changes were first mandated by the 2011 General Assembly budget. After delays, including an executive order by then Gov. Bev Perdue to halt the implementation of the changes, the Legislature ordered the state Department of Transportation to move forward.

Beginning July 1, it will increase tolls on a number of ferries and add first-time fees on others, including the Minnesott-Beach-Cherry Branch route and the Auora-Bayview ferry.

Last week, identical companion bills were introduced in the House and Senate, calling for no tolls on any of the seven routes. The Senate version — SB 524 — was sponsored by coastal lawmakers Norman Sanderson, R-Pamlico, and Bill Cook, R-Beaufort.

An earlier House bill by Rep. Michael Speciale, R-Craven, sought to abolish the proposed new tolls on the ferries across the Neuse and Pamlico rivers.

Rabon, a veterinarian whose district includes Brunswick, Bladen, New Hanover and Pender counties, lives in Southport.

The House bill 475 introduced last week calling for no tolls included Southport area Rep. Frank Iler as one of its sponsors.